Walk by the Van Cleef & Arpels perfume counter with its array of gorgeous bottles, and your eyes will feast upon this lovely new creation. Inspired by one of their magnificent tourmaline and diamond rings, the new Oriens eau de parfum is pretty enough that collectors would buy it just for the bottle alone. Fortunately, the fragrance inside is also a real gem. Spray it on and you’ll immediately utter a quiet “mmmm…”

This “mmmm…” inspiring chypre opens with a sophisticated gourmand blend of raspberry, black currant and praline and then moves on to sunny jasmine mixed with freshly cut white flowers. The final note of patchouli is soft and very feminine. Oriens is a mood lifting oriental scent that I would wear on a blah day when I need a reason to smile…..or on a good day, when it can make my smile even brighter.

From Guerlain comes the seventh fragrance from their L’Art et La Matiere collection. Tonka Imperiale is a heady, woody oriental utilizing the sweet tonka bean as its star ingredient. A seed from Venezuela, the tonka bean contains flavors of vanilla, almond, cinnamon and cloves and is a perfumer’s delight in its own right and is a key ingredient of the famous “Guerlinade” which is a base for many of their classics such as Jicky, Shalimar and Habit Rouge.

Perfumer Thierry Wasser has worked his magic to create the appropriately named fragrance which is a love affair between the tonka bean and the other ingredients. The result is a woody oriental scent that isn’t too heavy on the almond. The initial spray is a cool fresh blend of rosemary, bergamot and bitter almond. Minutes later, we’re treated to the heart of fragrance with the warmth of tonka bean, light tobacco and jasmine. Lasting impressions of incense, cedar wood and a tiny hint of pine are the base notes.

This is definitely one to spray behind the knees and other pulse points so that its enveloping sexy aroma delights all day…..or evening.

A contemporary piece of jewelry and feminine fragrance all in one, how clever Stella is! The silver toned round locket opens to let you dab on some solid perfume anytime you’re feeling the need. The new Stella McCartney Solid Perfume Necklace has lovely notes of rose, peony, mandarin, rose absolute and amber. This limited edition piece won’t be around long, so get it now!